—meaning, anyone who could rightfully be called by His Names. And the Exalted One has also said:

“Say: He is Allah, the One,” (Surah al-Ikhlāṣ 1) (1)

“Allah, the Ever-Sufficient,” (Surah al-Ikhlāṣ 2) (2)

“He neither begets nor is begotten,” (Surah al-Ikhlāṣ 3) (3)

“and there is none comparable to Him.” (Surah al-Ikhlāṣ 4) (4)

Reason itself attests to the same truth. Two things that are truly alike—so that either can fill the role of the other—must share whatever is necessary for one, possible for one, and impossible for one. Accordingly, if the Creator had an equal, both would have to share the same necessities, possibilities, and impossibilities.

Now, necessary existence and pre-eternity belong to the Creator, and non-existence is impossible for Him. Were a created being His equal, it too would have to possess necessary existence, be pre-eternal, and never have been absent. Yet a created, originated being by definition once did not exist. It would therefore have to be simultaneously existent and non-existent, eternal and originated—a union of contradictories that sound intellect rules out from the very outset.

Furthermore, eternality is impossible for the creature, and prior non-existence is obligatory for it. If what is necessary for the creature were also necessary for the eternal Creator, we would be forced to claim that what must be eternal must likewise be brought into existence after non-existence—another blatant contradiction. Clear reason thus decisively affirms that “there is nothing like unto Allah.” A fuller discussion appears elsewhere, but you have produced no proof for this claim—

(rather, you simply asserted: “He is a thing unlike created things, since He is the Creator of everything,” without offering any evidence)

for His being the Creator of all things. Your argument rested only on those things whose origination you yourselves have witnessed, and that is hardly “everything”; nor have you mentioned